Jerry West isn’t one for the therapist’s couch, though, at the urging of his wife Karen during a particular turbulent emotional point (I would argue that West probably doesn’t have any true calm points), he did visit one.

“I went a few times,” West writes in his new autobiography, due out in a few months, “but I felt there was no way that any therapist could understand my particular torment and also felt in some respects they were sicker than I was.”

That is the essential Jerry right there.

That certainly is the Jerry West I know and covered and have experienced–brilliant, curious, brutally honest, fair, unhinged at times, decisive, reflective, moody, occasionally self-destructive but always and eternally a winner.

A manic-depressive, amazingly interesting winner, always a winner.

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I’ve been around four or five people who seem to give the sports planet its core and gravitational spin–Al Davis, Bill Walsh, Tiger Woods, Barry Bonds for a while and West.

Definitely West.

My career has been enriched by all the times I’ve spent talking to and writing about West, and my ears have been scorched more than once or twice (or 20 times) by West venting his frustrations and momentary accusations, often directly focused at me.

And while reading sections of an advance copy of West’s book–“West by West: My Charmed, Tormented Life” (what a classic West title, by the way), co-written with Jonathan Coleman–two things struck me:

* It’s incredible how many (or ALL?) the seminal figures in NBA history that West has competed with, competed furiously against, acquired or advised, from Chamberlain to Red Auerbach to Pat Riley to Magic Johnson to Michael Jordan to David Stern to Kobe Bryant and everyone else.

There are compelling anecdotes and stories about of these guys in this book, by the way.

* And I wonder if Joe Lacob and Peter Guber, who just brought West into the Warriors’ front office, understand the volcanic ups and downs that come with West–it sure will make things more interesting, and better, and more volcanic in there, that’s for sure.

West spends many pages describing his difficult childhood in West Virginia, his inner demons, and generally the emotional tumult that has accompanied him wherever he went, no matter how great the achievement.

This inner wiring frames everything, every relationship West has had in basketball, every thought and decision and deep moment of despair.

It’s fascinating–it’s like West taking Tony Soprano’s chair in Dr. Melfi’s office, and explaining every detail of the most famous career in NBA player-exec history (but with a moral barometer).

It’s like listening to Van Gogh talk about why he painted what he did, and why he pissed off who he did and which ones he regrets and which ones he doesn’t.

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Another classic West anecdote, before I get into some hoops talk:

* When he walked into a surprise party that his assistant had planned for him near the end of his time in Memphis, West says he just turned and walked out. Later, he offered to pay for the party, but he realizes his behavior ruined it and badly hurt his assistant’s feelings.

“It was not one of my prouder moments,” West writes in retrospect.

Pure Jerry.

There’s a phrase I’ve been seeing lately to describe someone uttering a public moment of self-deprecation that really is meant to show how cool he is. The term: Humble-brag.

With West, it’s the opposite. He’s mentioning the towering achievements to cut into the truer meaning of some of his admitted weaknesses and fragility.

I’ll call it bragging humility.

Some of the interesting bits, from my selecting reading…

–West and Phil Jackson clearly had a distant relationship from the moment the Lakers brought Jackson in to coach Shaquille O’Neal and Bryant, and West confirms it all.

West says he was definitely troubled by Jackson’s relationship with Jeanie Buss and was put off by much of what Jackson was doing (Jackson’s first year was West’s last with the Lakers).

“So one of the problems I had with Phil was this,” West writes. “His office was right near mine and when he would arrive in the morning, he would walk right past and never even bother to wave or duck his head in to say hello.

“He would later say that he felt the need to stake out his territory, that on top of that he was ‘a wack job,’ but I am sure it was more than that.”

West compares Jackson’s attitude to Pat Riley’s reach for more power after winning titles as the Laker coach, but West suggests that Jackson’s display was a colder version to experience.

“Phil and I had no relationship,” West writes. “None. He didn’t want me around and had absolutely no respect for me–of that, I have no doubt.”

–West re-counts and confirms one of the long-rumored tension points–West says Jackson threw him out of the locker room after a game, personally (“Jerry, get the f– out, I’m not finished here yet,” West quotes Jackson as saying, though West adds that Jackson later said he didn’t know it was West.)
West said he quickly left the locker room and didn’t ever respond to Jackson’s action.

“I wasn’t going to lower myself and get into a p– contest with him,” West writes.

–West says his relationship with owner Jerry Buss was altered when the Lakers moved out of the Forum in 1999 to Staples Center, and Buss was around less and less.

“The close nature of our relationship began to change, and not only did I feel more and more unappreciated, or under-appreciated, but my own personal demons, rooted in my childhood, were threatening me,” West writes.

“The Lakers had been home to me, unlike the home I had grown up and felt apart from. But now the home was feeling less and less hospitable, and I was sensing that I didn’t belong, or wasn’t wanted, there any more, that I had stayed too long at the fair and it was time for me to go.”

West coolly mentions that Buss did not attend the Lakers’ announcement of West’s resignation.

Of course, West didn’t attend it either, but that’s not his point.

West also prints the letter his wife sent to Buss in 1999 (unbeknowst to West at the time), during some particularly difficult emotional period for West, and notes that Buss did not respond to it.

—West also, of course, describes the tense relationship of Shaq and Kobe and all the time and energy West put into getting the two to work together for the good of the team and the chance to win titles.

“It pained me to see how much of a struggle it was for them me,” West writes, “how unwilling Kobe was to defer to Shaq in any way.”

–It’s all framed by West’s childhood, and… well, he describes it rivetingly throughout, including this summation…

“…(I was) raised in a home, a series of them actually, that was spotless but where I never learned what love was, and am still not entirely sure I know today. What I do know is that I harbored murderous thoughts, and they, along with anger, sadness, and a weird sort of emptiness, are, in part, what drove and fueled and carried me a long way, traveling a path to the future that, even with the depth of my crazy imagination, I never had the self-confidence to allow myself to fully envision, not really.”

The flashpoint: West’s beloved older brother David was killed in the Korean War when West was 13.

“David’s death, I see now, truly resulted in the basketball court’s becoming my sanctuary and my refuge, the place where I felt most alive, where I was most in control. The sweet beauty of being by myself out there–a boy from deep inside West Virginia with a ball and barely concealed anger and a burning desire, a fierce longing for more than what I had.”

It’s very compelling stuff, at least from the 60% of the book that I read in the first two days after receiving it. I’m sure I’m not mentioning some other vivid recollections–about Elgin Baylor or Bill Russell–but that’s OK.

If you a Warriors fan, a general NBA fan, or any kind of sports fan, I’d tell you to read this book when it comes out, to fully appreciate the totality of the legend and reality and to know that the reality at times exceeds the legend.

Compelling stuff, indeed. A complex guy, a true winner. I knew a guy that played with him at West Virginia. his weakness was his left hand. After the team practice, West would play left handed with any of his teammates that had the energy. Then he would go and play in the pickup games, strictly left handed, shooting, dribbling. Some of the gym rats would take advantage of him, but it didn’t bother West at all. He eventually mastered his left hand, and there’s not many people around with that kind of self evaluation and focus.

build for next year

real good stuff aside from you injecting yourself into the conversation

J-walk

This book just made my to do list. Thanks T.K.

milo

Logo!

I was just old enough to see the Lakers in ’72 and get it. Cemented my life as a Laker fan. The Lakers would be nothing without Logo. The dude meant everything to that franchise. He’s on the magnitude of Ruth and the Yankees.

c

West is glad to be back in the NBA and love his new role as Endorser and Promoter of Lacob’s basketball philosophy.

Go Warriors.

Tony Cid

Mister Basketball… Amen.

niner

some people have the ability to will not only themselves but others to win as well. Wooden, Walsh, Lombardi, etc… I believe this guys mere presence will change the attitude of the Warriors. ( my dad once said when people made fun of Eddie D running the 49ers , “His father Mr D will not let his son fail”. My Dad was right)

Great Article Tim,
I am a fan of the La Lakers from way back. I read your article and we don’t know the things that happen behind closed doors with our teams. Can’t wait to read the book, when does it come out. How long have you been writing? Good stuff my friend, keep up the good work.

Thanks,
Anibal

http://TalkingPoints Paul Levinson

Definitely the best sports blog piece I have ever read. Most complete, most compelling (maybe it’s my age and that I watched Jerry West play as a kid so it was personally relevant – or maybe T.K. just writes beautifully and compelled me to keep reading), most grammatical(!). A truly rare treat in what passes for sports “journalism” these days. Thanks!

Michael Mourek

I am 65 years old…and I will never forget, Jerry West’s jump shot..it would always take place on the left side..
Jerry West was an amazing basketball player, during a very unusual
time, in American History.

I attended a private all boys Catholic College in Indiana, the year was
1965…and we had only One Black Person at the school, and he
was the best player on our basketball team…

Times were changing…attitudes were changing…and the entire World
was changing…
John Kennedy was killed
Martin Luther King was killed

We saw Jerry West…then Larry Bird…and Indiana Basketball

Jerry West was a great basketball player…during a very usual time
in Sports History..

jpm

Great stuff Tim. Jerry West is so refreshing it’s ridiculous. He always is honest and up front; almost to the point of being too much so.

West is one of the greats of all time and to see his candor is pretty amazing. In today’s world with athletes never showing any weakness due to insecurity or not wanting to tick off sponsors, West is honest and forthright.

I’ve been following my Lakers since 1966 . Got lucky enough
to say I saw them play at the L A Sports Arena before following
them to the New Fabulous Forum in Inglewood. And of course
now at the Staples Center. Bottom Line , If Jerry would not had
suffered all those unlucky Losses to the Stupid Celts , I really
think his attitude and the way he looks at Life in General,
and his career in the NBA would have made a tremendous
difference in his Life. He is and will always be Mr Basketball.
Love U Jerry !! PS Looking forward to buy the Book….

Saw Jerry play when team first came to LA. Thought I knew some of this great player. Boy, I can hardly wait for the book. Thank You

charles

I can’t wait to buy the book.

jaytee

looks to be a great read cant wait

Shag

As a child, I caught the bus to the Sports Arena in L.A., and saw many Laker games. For me, even though they never one a title, Baylor, West, and the others, helped to carry me through my formative years.
I’m glad to finally read what was going on inside him, because ALWAYS seemed so insular.
Never liked Phil Jackson, and don’t like him now. If not for Tex Winter, the Triangle, and the stars he had, Jackson would have no titles. I’m eager to walk down memory lane and can’t wait for the book.

West is obviously a conflicted person, driven to succeed but fragile enough to let his emotions get the better of him. His monstrous ego (the psychiatrists were “sicker than I was) wouldn’t allow him to become more introspective or sensitive to his emotional limitations. His wives must have (had) their hands full and their egos trampled by this guy. I’m guessing that never winning a championship must still feel like a 16d nail in his forehead thanks to better Boston teams – the Lakers, even then, had “stars” but too few team players. Let’s give him his due though; his final act in Memphis allowed the recent Lakers team to win because of the gift he made to LA of Gasol (one of the most-lopsided in league history), rendering Memphis the Lakers’ JV team.

FortyFour

Painter33,

Those are some rash assumptions from someone who hasn’t read the book, assuming you don’t personally know him. And he did win a championship in 1972, although you are correct in that those losses to Boston did hurt.

Jerry didn’t work for Memphis (or LA for that matter) when the Gasol trade went down. That was all Mitch Kupchak and Michael Heisley. I also wouldn’t call his stint in Memphis his final act. After all, he is now working with a pro-team in Northern California, in case you’ve heard of them.

Sincerely,

GetAClueBuddy

http://google.com Dave Stone

Just ordered the book and I’m sure I’ll inhale it with one gulp in one night, ruining the suspense for myself. I grew up worshipping Jerry and Elgin Baylor and to this day, as I approach my 62nd birthday, they have given me some of my life’s most memorable joys and heartache. All those losses to Boston in the sixties, when I was a kid left scars. But I wouldn’t trade any of it. If I could go back in time, I’d like to re-live meeting my wife, the birth of my children and one night at the Sports Arena with my Dad watching Elgin and Jerry. Like I’m sure millions of other kids from the sixties, I learned by jumper from Jerry; that last hard-peck dribble and the release from the top of my jump.

Painter33, you’re at best uninformed. As mentioned by someone else, West wasn’t in Memphis when that Gasol trade was made, or even contemplated… also, although it was a great trade for LA, it was right for Memphis, too. West thought Gasol had a ton of talent but couldn’t stand the way he played… the only time I met West was the morning after a Griz game, and hoops was all he could talk about (“Did you go to the game last night? Gasol kills me… he’s such a _____”). BTW, the younger Gasol (Marc) is a much tougher player than his brother. I bet West likes him.

Bernard Lindell

I have been a LA Lakers fan since the 1965-66 season. This means I endured the disappointing frustrating losses to the Celtics especially in 1969 when I remember I could not sleep thinking I just had a bad dream.

The last twelve years have shown the times during West’s playing career was very different than when the Phil Jackson regime took effect.

Yes. Jerry W was a great player; and arguably the greatest of his time behind Wilt Chamberlain. In comparing West to Oscar Roberston, Jerry had another superstar Elgin Baylor taking many shots otherwise Jerry might have outscored Oscar who was definitely a great and the “most natural” player of all time.

Jerrry’s personality seems not the best. He was my boyhood hero and I live in the Los Angeles area. Yet. if I was to see him in public, I probably would have no desire to go speak to him and give him accolades or even get his autograph (and maybe that shows my age).

I agree with the one message above that if he had beaten the Celtics just once in the finals his perspective would have been very different.

Jerry – you were a great player and for that thank you. However, get the proper perspective on life in general and be thankful for your many blessings.